For You
by NewtPevensie
Summary: A prediction/hope for what might happen in 8x06 for Gendrya. The big Cersei/Daenerys and Jon showdown happened in 8x05, then Jon fought Daenerys in 8x06. When Jon wins, what happens to Gendry? T for one use of strong language.


**This is because, while I understand why Arya said no, I REALLY want them to get back together by the end of the series. Enjoy!**

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'Arya!'

Arya turned, trying to find the source of the voice that called her name. After a few seconds of searching, she caught sight of a tall, well-built man weaving through the throng of people towards her. The end of the battle had brought with it a need to find the people you loved, and though she needed to find her family, the person coming towards her was as important to her as her siblings and her cousin. So she stood still, letting Gendry come to her, rather than trying to fight her way to him – her height, for once, would not work in her favour.

When he reached her, he caught her up in his arms and hugged her tightly.

'Can't… breathe… stupid… bull!' she gasped, even though she was hugging him just as tightly. The vibrations of his laugh shuddered through her as he set her down to look at her properly. She was covered in blood, both her own from the series of cuts and grazes she'd sustained over the course of the fight, and that from the deaths of those who had given her those same cuts and grazes. Her hair was matted with blood and mud, and though it hadn't bothered her before, she suddenly felt her hand creeping up to touch her hair. She consciously stopped herself from doing so by crossing her arms as she drank the sight of him in too.

He didn't look too much the worse for wear – a couple of bad bruises, a slice in his sleeve that was soaked with blood, and a nasty cut on his face. But what really caught her attention was the gleam in his eye – the one that told her there was something he needed to tell her. A strange feeling curled around her stomach – or, perhaps more accurately, made her stomach feel like it was curling itself into a knot. After their last conversation, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

It had hurt like hell to turn him down, but she knew it would have hurt more to say yes. What she'd told her father all those years ago was still true: she wasn't a lady. Being some fancy lord's wife, living in a castle, wearing pretty dresses… it wasn't her. Being Gendry's wife might have made it better, but she wanted her freedom. And anyone who didn't realise that couldn't love her as much aas they claimed, even if it was the stupid blacksmith whom she loved back.

'How are you still alive? Daenerys lost! Why weren't you taken captive with the others? The questions spilled out of her almost against her will, but she needed to know: was he going to be taken from her again?

Gendry looked at her strangely. 'I didn't fight for Daenerys.'

'What?'

'I fought for Jon.' His head was tilted in confusion, eyebrows drawn together.

'_How?_'

'How?' he repeated, letting out a short laugh. 'By getting here quickly? I heard the rumours of the argument they'd had, how all hell was about to break loose. So as soon as I could, I saddled a horse and rode North. Got here just in time, too,' he added. 'You lot crossed the Trident just as I arrived. Then when you set up camp, I just blended in with the rest of Jon's bannermen. Daenerys arrived the next day.'

'No,' Arya said. 'I mean, how did you fight for him? Daenerys wouldn't have just let you fight for her enemy. She gave you Storm's End. You were supposed to fight for her.' A sense of intense bitterness filled her. Not only was he a lord, the one thing she'd never wanted, but she was having to teach him how to be one properly? That really wasn't fair.

'You're right,' he said unexpectedly. 'She wouldn't. Which is why I left without her knowing. At least, not until she got my raven. I told her I was giving up Storm's End. My loyalty to the Starks was stronger than my loyalty to a house that never even acknowledged me.'

Arya stared at him blankly, the world buzzing in her ears. 'You… _gave up_… Storm's End?'

'That's what I just said, isn't it?' His gruff voice sounded annoyed, but not like he didn't want to repeat himself – more like there was something she wasn't getting.

'I… why?' Arya wasn't used to being blindsided like this. A thought suddenly occurred to her, a tiny spark of hope, but she tried to snuff it out before it could take hold. After the last few weeks, she didn't think she could take another disappointment. She realised she was avoiding his gaze, looking anywhere that wasn't him. Not many could say they could read her – Jon, Sansa and Bran were usually the only ones who even had a chance, but she'd only been reunited with them recently. Gendry knew her tells, both from travelling together along the Kingsroad, and from the weeks when she'd spent an unnecessary amount of time in the smithy or the Great Hall with him, when she'd realised that, despite all that time in Braavos, he could read her as easily as when she was a kid of twelve.

'Arya.' Gendry nudged her chin so she had to look at him. 'Do I need to spell it out for you?'

When she said nothing, he grumbled something under his breath, then looked her directly in the eyes. 'I gave up Storm's End… for you.'

Her breath caught, but he wasn't finished.

'I spent a fortnight as Lord of Storm's End, and within a couple of days, I understood why you hated it so much. It's just… really fucking boring.'

She couldn't help herself. She snorted, then bit her lip to stop herself from laughing properly as he kept talking.

'When Daenerys made me Lord Baratheon… I didn't know what to do. In front of everyone… I couldn't say no. She's not really the type to take that well. She wasn't,' he corrected himself, wincing. 'Then I thought, if I was a lord, I'd need someone who might actually know what they were doing with me, which is why I came to you. Which worked,' he added sarcastically.

Arya looked away guiltily, even though she was glad he could joke about it.

'Once I was there, I couldn't remember why I said yes. I never wanted to be a lord. Not even when I was a little bastard kid in Fleabottom. All I ever wanted was to be a smith. So I'll stay in Winterfell and smith for the Starks, like you wanted. Unless…' At this he hesitated, going red. 'Unless your other offer still stands?'

Arya's eyes widened in shock. She'd never forgotten what she said to him in that cave, before the Red Woman took him.

'_These men are brothers. They're a family… I've never had a family.'_

'_I can be your family.'_

She'd never said anything like that to anyone else. And she never would.

Quietly, almost so softly that the words were lost to the wind, she whispered, 'It does.'

The relief that flooded his face was almost funny, but Arya had never felt less like laughing. Instead, she slowly ran her thumb over his unhurt cheekbone, then pulled him down to her level, meeting his lips with hers.

His hands found her waist, pulling her flush against him, then crept around her back, holding her tight. And in that moment, as they kissed, Arya realised something important.

She would never be anyone's lady. She would never belong to anyone. She belonged to herself.

But her heart belonged to Gendry.

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**Hey guys!**

**I could not believe it when Gendrya actually happened, and was really happy for two weeks… then Monday happened. So this has been buzzing around in my head since then, and I couldn't take it with revision anymore, so here's the result of my procrastination. Hope you enjoyed it! **

**As ever, if you did, leave a review – I love hearing what you thought. If you didn't, leave a review – I appreciate hearing what you think I could improve on.**

**Love**

**NewtPevensie xoxoxox**


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